Career and Education Opportunities for Personal Chefs in Providence, Rhode Island

Personal chefs can find both educational opportunities and jobs in the Providence, Rhode Island area. The national trend for personal chefs sees this job pool growing by about 4.3% over the next eight years. Personal chefs generally prepare meals in private homes.

The average wage in the general category of Cooking jobs is $14 per hour or $29,220 per year in Rhode Island, and an average of $12 per hour or $24,401 per year nationwide. Jobs in this field include: private chef, culinary worker, and household cook.

The Providence area is home to fifty-five schools of higher education, including two within twenty-five miles of Providence where you can get a degree as a personal chef. Personal chefs usually hold a post-secondary certificate, so it will take a short time to learn to be a personal chef if you already have a high school diploma.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Personal Chef

In general, personal chefs prepare meals in private homes.

Personal chefs peel and cook vegetables and meats, and bake breads and pastries. They also formulate menus in line with employers' needs and diet restrictions. Equally important, personal chefs have to specialize in preparing fancy dishes and/or food for special diets. They are often called upon to develop and explore new cuisines. They are expected to travel with employers to vacation homes to furnish meal preparation at those locations. Finally, personal chefs ready meals in private homes in line with employers' recipes or tastes, handling all meals for the family and possibly for other household staff.

Every day, personal chefs are expected to be able to control objects and devices with precise control. They need to listen to and understand others in meetings. It is also important that they move quickly in order to hold onto or control objects and devices.

It is important for personal chefs to stock, organize, and clean kitchens and cooking utensils. They are often called upon to direct the operation and organization of kitchens and all food-related efforts, including the presentation and serving of food. They also serve meals and snacks to employing families and their guests. They are sometimes expected to shop for or order food and kitchen supplies and equipment. Somewhat less frequently, personal chefs are also expected to formulate and ready food for parties and other social events.

And finally, they sometimes have to formulate menus in line with employers' needs and diet restrictions.

Like many other jobs, personal chefs must be able to work independently and make decisions on their own and have exceptional integrity.

Similar jobs with educational opportunities in Providence include:

Chef. Direct the preparation, seasoning, and cooking of salads, soups, or other foods. May plan and price menu items, order supplies, and keep records and accounts. May participate in cooking.

Institutional Cook. Prepare and cook large quantities of food for institutions, such as schools, hospitals, or cafeterias.

Restaurant Chef. Prepare, season, and cook soups, meats, or other foodstuffs in restaurants. May order supplies, keep records and accounts, price items on menu, or plan menu.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Personal Chef Training

Johnson & Wales University - Providence, RI

Johnson & Wales University, 8 Abbott Park Place, Providence, RI 02903-3703. Johnson & Wales University is a large university located in Providence, Rhode Island. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 10,488 students and an admission rate of 72%. Johnson & Wales University has one to two year, associate's degree, and bachelor's degree programs in Culinary Arts/Chef Training which graduated four, 390, and 166 students respectively in 2008.

Massasoit Community College - Brockton, MA

Massasoit Community College, One Massasoit Boulevard, Brockton, MA 02302-3996. Massasoit Community College is a medium sized college located in Brockton, Massachusetts. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 7,394 students. Massasoit Community College has an associate's degree program in Culinary Arts/Chef Training which graduated nine students in 2008.

CERTIFICATIONS

Personal Certified Executive Chef:
A chef with advanced culinary skills and a minimum of six years of professional cooking experience with a minimum of two years as a personal chef.

Quality Coffee Certification Program:
The purpose of QCCP is to provide operators with sales tools and knowledge that will help them begin or enhance their own quality coffee program for their customers.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Providence, Rhode Island

Providence, Rhode Island photo by Flickr_upload_bot

Providence is situated in Providence County, Rhode Island. It has a population of over 171,557, which has shrunk by 1.2% over the last ten years. The cost of living index in Providence, 105, is above the national average. New single-family homes in Providence are valued at $75,900 on average, which is far less than the state average. In 2008, seventeen new homes were constructed in Providence, down from forty-seven the previous year.

The three most popular industries for women in Providence are educational services, health care, and miscellaneous manufacturing. For men, it is educational services, accommodation and food services, and miscellaneous manufacturing. The average travel time to work is about 20 minutes. More than 24.4% of Providence residents have a bachelor's degree, which is lower than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 11.3%, is higher than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Providence is 14.5%, which is greater than Rhode Island's average of 12.2%.

The percentage of Providence residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 63.6%, is more than both the national and state average. United Pentecostal Church, United Presbyterian Church and Providence Assembly of God Church are some of the churches located in Providence. The most common religious groups are the Catholic Church, the American Baptist Churches in the USA and the Episcopal Church.

Providence is home to the Fall River Iron Works and the Broadway-Armory Historic District as well as Burnside Park and Customhouse Historic District. Shopping malls in the area include Silver Lake Plaza Shopping Center, Shopperstown Shopping Center and Corliss Landing Shopping Center. Visitors to Providence can choose from Historic Jacob Hill Farm Bed and Breakfast Inn, Agora Restaurant & Bar and Old Court Bed & Breakfast for temporary stays in the area.